Nome, Alaska — The community of Nome continues to exhaust all options in the search and rescue effort to find Joseph Balderas.

Balderas was reported missing Monday morning and is thought to have gone hiking about 40 miles east of Nome.

Search efforts have been extensive. Yesterday, there were three helicopters in the air and dozens of ATVs on the ground. A dog team arrived from Fairbanks today, making it one of the largest search and rescue operations Nome has seen in decades.

But all of this is expensive.

Jim West, Jr., is Nome’s fire chief and said troopers are funding the operation right now, but he doesn’t expect that to last much longer.

“Sooner or later, that decision has to be made when to pull the plug, as far as funding goes,” West said.

West says that, in the next day or two, state funding may dry up. That’s why Nome residents Reba Lean and Brodie Kimmel organized a fundraising page on the site YouCaring in Balderas’s behalf. Kimmel says it’s a way to keep people updated.

“Joseph has a huge network of friends and family across the country who want to support the search efforts in any way,” Kimmel explained.

The site aims to raise $30,000. As of 5pm Wednesday, less than 24 hours after the site went live, donors had contributed around $26,000; by Thursday morning, pledges had exceeded $35,000. Reba Lean added it’s not just money they need.

“If anybody out there has airline miles, housing, transportation, or anything else that would be helpful, they can contact us on the Facebook page,” Lean said.

Any funds collected on the fundraising page will be donated to the local search and rescue team.

If you have any information on Joseph Balderas’s whereabouts, contact the Nome Fire Department at (907) 443-2310.

]]>http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2016/06/29/fundraising-begins-to-support-search-for-missing-hiker/feed/223573Smartphone Apps Encourage Local Involvement in a Changing Climatehttp://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2016/06/08/smartphone-apps-encourage-local-involvement-in-a-changing-climate/
Wed, 08 Jun 2016 22:09:42 +0000http://www.knom.org/wp/?p=23231With a swipe of a smartphone, locals can submit their environmental observations, and there’s even an app aimed at preventing further change. ]]>

Nome, Alaska– A handful of apps are making it easier for rural communities to report on climate change in Alaska. With a swipe of a smartphone, locals can submit environmental observations, and there’s even an app aimed at preventing further change.

Mike Sloan pulls his smartphone out of his pocket. It takes a few seconds, but finally, the LEO Reporter app appears on his screen.

“Slow internet…” Sloan explains.

The screen on his smartphone shows the state of Alaska speckled with different colored dots, each representing a different observation.

Because we’re in Nome, it automatically zooms in to an aerial view of town. Sloan taps on a little light blue dot just off the coast. It’s a post from January 1, 2013.

“Actually, it was a post I did,” Sloan admits.

Sloan is the Director of Tribal Resources for Nome Eskimo Community. He’s also a Local Environmental Observer, or LEO.

The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium created the LEO Network back in 2012 as a way for locals to document unusual environmental events like coastal erosion, wildfires, or even stranded snowmachiners.

“We had a strong winter wind that broke off the sea ice in front of Nome and moved it off shore [and] there was a snowmachiner trapped on the ice floe,” Sloan explains, adding “they were able to save him.”

After Sloan submitted his observation to the LEO Network, it was then tagged with a similar event in the Canadian Arctic. Sloan says the LEO Reporter app makes it easy for anyone to connect the dots, more specifically across Alaska.

“Say, if we have bird die-offs in Kodiak, we can go to LEO, look for bird observations, and it will pull up any other bird observations around the state.”

Five-hundred miles southwest of Nome, residents of St. Paul Island in the Pribilofs are using a similar app. It’s called the Bering Watch Citizen Sentinel App. Pamela Lestenkof co-directs the Ecosystem Conservation Office on St. Paul Island.

“Back in St. Paul, it’s our hunters, our beachcombers, and our fishers,” Lestenkof explains, “they’re the ones that are out there on the land, so they’re the first [that would] see a stranded marine mammal or dead birds.”

Locals have been sharing observations on Facebook for years, so Lestenkof says a database of those observations just made sense.

“And then once it’s uploaded in our database, we can publish it to Facebook,” Lestenkof says, “so there’s incentive for them to share it.”

But not all apps are aimed at observing changes. Gino Graziano helped develop one aimed at preventing them.

Alaska Weeds ID. Photo courtesy of Gino Graziano.

“Let’s see here… where did I put it?” Graziano says as he swipes through his smartphone. “There it is. It’s Alaska Weeds ID.”

Graziano teaches classes on invasive species at UAF’s Cooperative Extension Service in Fairbanks. He and his colleagues teamed up with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the University of Georgia to develop the Alaska Weeds ID app that helps people identify weeds native to their area and report nonnative or invasive ones.

The app takes you through a series of descriptors, like leaf shape and leaf arrangement.

“And then, it will ask if the leaves are smooth or do they have little teeth or spines on them or hairs,” Graziano says.

Finally, it asks about flower color and flower arrangement.

“And you end up with what type of species it is. So, we end up with a couple of different options and we can pick bird vetch from that,” Graziano says as an example.

If you do come across an invasive plant like bird vetch, which has invaded Alaska’s interior, you can send in a report with a photo, description and location directly from your phone.

“And then a message actually goes to me,” Graziano admits.

If the plant is a serious threat and on public property, Graziano would contact a local land manager to remove it. Western Alaska is still largely free of invasive species, and Graziano hopes this app helps keep it that way.

“That’s really the key to invasive species management—is getting on it early,” says Graziano.

Ultimately, that’s what all these apps are hoping to do. Climate change is already affecting western Alaska, but locals can now help document those changes and, with the help of their smartphones, be more aware of what’s to come.

]]>23231Nearing Graduation, Musician Byron Nicholai Looks Forward to College and New Challengeshttp://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2016/05/06/nearing-graduation-musician-byron-nicholai-looks-forward-to-college-and-new-challenges/
Fri, 06 May 2016 14:00:36 +0000http://www.knom.org/wp/?p=22772In the fall, Nicholai will start at the University of Alaska Anchorage. His goal is to teach Yup’ik language and culture in rural Alaska. ]]>

BETHEL, ALASKA — Byron Nicholai began posting fun, silly music videos on Facebook when he was 14 years old. Now, the Toksook Bay musician is 18, and his drumming and singing is celebrated for sharing traditional Yup’ik culture.

Between releasing his first album and performing across the country, Nicholai has accomplished a lot in the last few years. But with high school graduation fast approaching, he said he’s ready for the next challenge: going to college and making even better music.

Backstage at the 2016 Cama-i Dance Festival, Byron Nicholai is thinking about his future. He has just finished performing with the Toksook Bay Traditional Dancers, the hometown group that first taught him to sing and drum. Soon, though, he’ll take the stage for his solo act, “I Sing. You Dance.” Looking around the crowded high school gym in Bethel, Nicholai knows he’s come a long way from his early Facebook videos.

“It was just something I did for fun. That’s it,” he said. “But now it’s like I need to give these people a message — something that they need to hear.”

His music is still fun, but it’s based on big ideas about Yup’ik culture and identity. Nicholai said most songs are inspired by the lessons he learns from his parents and the elders in his community. And just as they motivate him, he says he wants to share a positive message with the many kids who are now his fans.

“What they see me doing, they will do,” he said. “It’s almost like ‘monkey see, monkey do,’ but with people. So I’m trying to help our culture grow song by song, dance by dance, and these little kids are into it. While I’m up there and they’re watching, they’re learning the songs, the dances, part of my culture. It’s just a part of them now as it was a part of me.”

Midway through his set, Nicholai performs his signature song, “I Am Yup’ik.” The crowd sings along faintly for the first half, but then their voices swell enough that he steps back and lets his audience finish the final refrain.

“I heard these little kids singing in front of me, singing along with me, and I was like, ‘Whoa. They know the song. Maybe I should back away from the mic and have them sing with me,’” he said. “So I do that and while I’m drumming, I hear them singing and I had that feeling of being a good role model. That’s why I’m trying to be.”

That attitude extends beyond music, too. Early in high school, Nicholai planned to study computer science in college. But after everything that has happened in his music career, he said he feels called to do something else, especially after a memorable experience last year in the Bristol Bay community of Igiugig.

“I was there to teach the people how to sing and dance,” he said. “The looks on their faces are what made me feel that I was doing something right for the people. The determination on their faces — they wanted to learn. I was like, ‘Wow. I was doing a good job at that. Maybe I could become a Yup’ik teacher.’”

In the fall, Nicholai will start at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He said he’ll major in elementary education and minor in Alaska Native Studies. His goal is to teach Yup’ik language and culture at a school in rural Alaska. Until then, though, he’s doing his best to finish senior year strong, prepare for life away from home, and stay on top of his song writing. He said it’s not always easy.

“If I was someone else looking at me, it would be a fun life. But it’s not always fun because I feel like a lot of weight is put on my shoulders,” he said. “These papers, these deadlines, the emails, the calls — How am I going to keep that up when I’m doing things at school? When am I going to find the time? When am I going to have a break to do what I want?”

This summer, Nicholai will get a short break. He said he hasn’t made too many plans beyond playing basketball, playing music, and spending time with his family. But that doesn’t mean he’s looking to slow down.

“There’s this word that my teacher said. He says I’ve accomplished a lot, but I want more. Ambitious! Yes. I’m just ambitious. I want more.”

Which leaves the big question: When can fans expect another album? Nicholai said he doesn’t have a timeline for releasing new music, but it’s certainly on his mind. He’s writing songs and experimenting with a loop station. He said he wants to continue growing — maybe mix some modern beats into the traditional style, maybe even add a new instrument.

“I have a guitar at home. Maybe I could use it one day,” he said. “Maybe I could have a harmonica. Just keep my music growing and entertaining.”

While his music evolves, though, Nicholai said he doesn’t want to stray from his message of empowerment or his connection to Yup’ik culture. No matter what, he hopes his songs always resonate with his people.

“It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from or how old you are. You still have the power to make a difference,” he said. “It’s just all in the mind. I mean, growing up, I thought I was just going to be a regular, teenage boy. That’s all I thought I was going to be. But with all of this happening, I realize that I am much more.”

]]>22772A Few New Snapshots of KNOMhttp://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2015/02/03/a-few-new-snapshots-of-knom/
Tue, 03 Feb 2015 22:51:52 +0000http://www.knom.org/wp/?p=14271We're excited to be sharing the work and daily rhythms of our mission in a new way: via the photo-sharing social network Instagram.]]>

As the communities we serve in Western Alaska (like those, we suspect, in your corner of the world) continue to find new ways to communicate online, so do we, at KNOM, continue to seek out new ways to engage with them — and with you.

With our heart firmly planted in radio, we’re excited to share the work and daily rhythms of our mission on the web, not only on this website but, also, on social media: Facebook, Twitter, and, now, Instagram.

As of January 2015, KNOM Radio Mission is on the photo-sharing platform Instagram. You’ll find us at instagram.com/knomradio and can tag us on Instagram with @knomradio (in a similar way that you’d mention us on Twitter with the handle @knom).

]]>14271A Picture and a Thousand Wordshttp://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2014/05/20/9131/
http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2014/05/20/9131/#commentsTue, 20 May 2014 16:00:56 +0000http://www.knom.org/wp/?p=9131Preparing for her departure from Nome, Emily reactivates her dormant Facebook account. She faces a choice: What experiences from Western Alaska can be shared with social media, and what stories are better told face-to-face?]]>

Last week I reactivated my Facebook account, and my two worlds collided.

I deleted my Facebook almost as soon as I got to Nome. I could not bear the prospect of having to do extra computer-oriented tasks in a place where there is so much to do outside, and, to be honest, didn’t really want to see what I was missing out on back in the Lower 48. Last week, though, I reactivated my account after I realized that 1. I would never be able to find a roommate next year if I didn’t have a well-rounded online presence and 2. I wanted to keep in touch with people that I’ve met in Nome, and Facebook is a super efficient way to stay connected (obviously).

Over the past week I’ve browsed through photos of weddings that I missed, friend-ed new friends, and checked out some essential fashion items that I’ll pre-order online and ship to my Chicago address. But I’ve also encountered some unexpected challenges: notably, how to maneuver the cultural differences regarding hunting and processing marine mammals. One of the first things I did to establish my return to Facebook was post a picture of a pair of polar bear skin boots that I saw in the Gambell school. After living in Alaska for nine months, I’d thought, “Wow, cool! Subsistence culture is alive and well, and those are beautifully made. They look pretty new, too!” when I’d seen them. The reactions that I got on Facebook were much different, though: most of the comments on the photo were along the lines of, “Are those real? Those had better not be real.” Upon reflection, I cannot believe that I did not anticipate those kinds of comments. I had become so engrossed in the language of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the importance of maintaining subsistence cultural values that I had not even considered that some of my Facebook friends would have immediate, knee-jerk, and negative reactions.

The polar bear boots are actually a pretty tame example of some of the animal processing that happens in Nome; for example, last Thursday I came across a man processing his nephew’s first oogruk in a parking lot. The skin was stretched, hide-down, across a picnic table, and he’d placed the head and flippers in a bucket next to his worksite. I stopped to chat with him and learned a lot about rendering seal oil. I also got some really good photos. But I will never, ever post those shots to my social media pages, for fear of becoming embroiled in an essentially unwinnable debate in my Facebook comments section. Those photographs are pretty graphic (a bloody seal head in a bucket is not something that one sees every day, particularly in the Midwest) and would have to be accompanied by an articulate, well-researched, cited, and somewhat lengthy essay on the importance and legality of subsistence practices. I would prefer not to use my Facebook page for such explanations.

Over the next two months, I will have to consider how to appropriately share my experience in Western Alaska with my friends, family, employers, and coworkers in the Lower 48. I will have to gather and develop succinct elevator pitches, short explanations, and illustrative examples, and be ready to defend those positions. Facebook is going to be a great tool to feel out which issues may not be completely palatable to Midwestern sensibility, and I’ll hopefully be prepared to address those concerns before I step off the plane in Chicago. I realize that I might be the only person who lived in bush Alaska that some people in the Lower 48 will ever meet, and I hope to represent this lifestyle and these values well.

http://www.knom.org/wp-audio/2013/10/2013-10-30-knom-update-news.mp3
]]>http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2013/10/30/update-news-october-30th-2013/feed/15440Living in the Future: August 19, 2013http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2013/08/19/living-in-the-future-august-19-2013/
Mon, 19 Aug 2013 16:43:06 +0000http://www.knom.org/morning/wp/?p=920This Week: Batteries not included – and not needed, hacking Facebook, and new precise GPS!

Time was, the phrase “Batteries not included” meant that you had to go out and purchase batteries – and often, over and over again. But new wireless devices no longer require batteries, instead getting their energy and communicating using a technique known as “ambient backscatter.” All around us, the wireless waves of radio, television, and wifi bounce about – but these new devices repurpose those signals to provide miniscule amounts of power and bandwidth for local applications – enough to send text messages, or other short data bursts, without requiring batteries. This is a huge step toward the so-called “Internet of Things” – imagine, a small device that sends a signal to your power company when the power goes out – or keeps track of what you throw away, and automatically adds it to a shopping list. The possibilities of this are huge, and the tech is in the magical place of being small and cheap!

Facebook, among other social media companies, has a “bug finding bounty” program, that pays “white-hat hackers” to report bugs to Facebook’s security team. When one hacker discovered a bug that allowed him to post on anyone’s wall, whether he knew them or not, he reported it to try to get the $500 bounty. But, Facebook security insisted that it wasn’t a bug – twice over. That hacker then used the bug to post an announcement on the wall of one of the friends of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. That got the attention that the bug was worthy to be fixed, but the hacker is not being awarded the bounty. The practice of white-hat hacking, or hacking to prevent security breaches is not new, but the frustration of white-hats to use the programs set up by the tech companies is prompting debate in the tech community.

GPS – the Global Positioning System – works by sending data to several satellites in orbit, and looking for the overlap of their signals, but it relies on long-waves to make it the distance required, which limits the accuracy to within a few meters. A recent idea combining error checking with a shorter message within the longer waveform has resulted in a civilian GPS device with an accuracy of about an inch – which promises to be much more useful for drones and devices. Previously, devices with this level of accuracy were used by governments and oil companies, and cost upwards of $10,000. This new real-time kinematic device, called the Picksi, currently costs less than $1000, and the hope is that it can be reduced even further. While still expensive, it may open new opportunities for precise flying and location tracking in the future!

]]>920Being Socialhttp://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2013/05/17/being-social/
Fri, 17 May 2013 18:23:01 +0000http://www.knom.org/blog/wp/?p=3492There’s a funny thing that happens in small towns – you get to the point that you can’t walk around town without running into someone you know. And, since it’s a small town, you walk around a lot. Even when Mayvember weather hits. (And, recent news sources close to home have suggested that Mayvember may be a new normal for the next decade or so!)

It’s really nice to catch up with friends while on walkabout – even if conversations are limited, they produce a sense of shared experience and accomplishment. It’s also a pleasant surprise when hearing your name called out – not only are you recognized, you’re sought after!

That leads me to another kind of being social – using facebook and twitter. I think in our usage, we’re trying for that same experience (even with this blog!). A sense of, “Hey – I know those people!” It’s hard to remember to take pictures or videos of events that pop up – but we’re getting better at it. For instance, here’s a video of Josh, Eva, and Margaret walking around in Mayvember:

There’ll be new videos every once in a while – we’re mostly radio people, but the videos are a lot like running into someone on the street – a brief connection, letting each other know how things are going. It’s always great to hear from our friends (ie, you!) – so if you have comments on things we’re up to, let us know through any of the social media – or send an e-mail or snailmail (PO Box 988, Nome AK 99762) – or leave a comment on the blog!

The temperature is dropping, and the days are getting shorter. Although Thanksgiving is weeks away, we continue to count our blessings and be thankful for our amazing KNOM family.

Two years ago, we bid a sad goodbye to longtime KNOM general manager Tom Busch. The following was posted November 1st on our Facebook page by KNOM web director David Dodman:

Today, in a special way, we remember KNOM friend and founder Tom Busch, who passed away on this day in 2010. Today is also the 65th anniversary of Tom’s birthday. We miss Tom dearly and are so appreciative for all he did for our mission and for the people of Western Alaska.

It’s a simple testament to Tom, who, along with his wife Florence, established KNOM as a positive presence to young and old alike. Thank you, Tom and Florence. You made a world of difference in the lives of generations of Western Alaskans.